Fighting Gravity
by LizaP
Summary: This is a story about the connections we seek and the connections formed we sometimes don't understand, at first. These connections, as Klaus and Caroline will discover, are like fighting gravity; it's simply futile and the most rewarding experience may be about giving in instead.
1. Chapter 1

Her hand whispered across the page, taking diligent notes as she listened intently to the art professor discuss Monet's inspiration for the Water Lilies. Okay, so she _wasn't_ diligently taking notes, nor was she listening intently. And it was all _his_ fault!

"Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls."

How arrogant of him to declare that Tyler was _allowed _to return to Mystic Falls. Granted, he was the reason Tyler was even gone to begin with. Yet, as arrogant as the declaration was, it was also quite simply, the sweetest gesture anyone had shown Caroline.

And, shockingly, it had come from _him_ of all people. She wouldn't allow herself to say his name, even in her mind, because if she did, all hope of getting anything out of the Claude Monet lecture would be futile. Caroline shook herself free from her thoughts and focused on the professor's words: "The meaning of the painting is to inspire nature and give great beauty to whoever …"

"He's your first love; I intend to be your last, _however_ long it takes."

Caroline dropped her pen, giving up all hope on the lecture. She quietly gathered her belongings and slipped out of the lecture hall. She slung her canvas bag on one shoulder and started the brief walk back to her dorm room. Caroline knew that once her mind focused on those words, there was no hope in getting anything else done. She'd battled with those words too many times in the past four months and knew better.

Not for the first time, her thoughts always came back to this: _Seriously! _Who _actually _says that to another person? Who says that … and then walks away?

"Yeah, yeah, the whole set something free and if it comes back to you deal," Caroline mumbled to herself as she slid the key into the lock of her dorm room. Cheap trick from the thousand year old Hybrid, she thought. Upon entering the room, Caroline breathed a sigh of relief at its emptiness. Of course it would be empty. Not only was Elena taking more classes than required in their first semester of college but she was also majoring in all things Damon Salvatore.

Caroline wrinkled her nose in disgust. How Elena could have chosen Damon over Stefan was beyond her, but she had accepted her best friend's choice. A tiny voice inside her head told her that Elena wouldn't be quite so accepting if Caroline were to …

"Stop it, you are _not _going to do anything" she chided herself out loud. Caroline set her bag and keys on her desk. She hadn't told Elena about the talk she and Klaus had on graduation day. She hadn't told anyone. It was too confusing and God only knew the reactions she would get from everyone. Hence, she was left with a permanent repeat of the conversation in her head.

As she walked past the mirror on the wall to hang up her jacket, she caught her own reflection in the mirror and told herself, "Just because you aren't with Tyler doesn't mean you have to be with … _him_."

Thinking about Tyler didn't hurt, not anymore. Caroline briefly thought back to only three months ago, when she had finally tracked down Tyler with Damon's help. She gleefully told him that nothing was keeping him from home, from her anymore. It had shocked her that he didn't come home right away. It took him weeks. And, when he finally did come home, it was different. Their connection was gone. They chalked it up to the distance, Tyler's alpha role in his new found wolf pack in Tennessee and, if she was really, _truly_ honest with herself, the promises made by the _other _Hybrid.

Caroline groaned as she dropped face first into the pillows on her bed. This was so unfair! Here she was enjoying her independence for the first time in her life, away from little town Mystic Falls and working a part-time job, thank you very much, yet all she could think about were the possibilities.

"I'll let you in on a little secret. There's a whole world out there waiting for you, great cities, and art, and music; genuine beauty and you can have _all of it_."

Caroline rolled over and stared up at the ceiling. Did he mean it? Or was he just full of shit, really beautifully stated shit, but shit nonetheless? Was he interested simply because she hadn't immediately swooned at the flowery prose flowing from his deliciously red lips?

Caroline huffed as she thought to herself: why did Klaus have to be so devastatingly gorgeous? And ruthless? Why did he have to look at her like he _knew_ her every thought, and desire, and insecurity?

Despite the tongue lashing she was sure to get, Caroline needed to talk to someone about this. She grabbed her phone and scrolled down the list of names. _Bonnie_. The tears flooded her vision instantly. It took Jeremy Gilbert three weeks before finally breaking down and confessing to Elena and her that death was the price Bonnie had paid in bringing him back to life. Caroline never even had a chance to say goodbye to her other best friend. _Matt. _No way. He would never understand, even though he was _still _off galavanting across Europe with _Rebekah_, the only female Original. If _anyone _could understand the draw to the complicated Originals, it was him. But, like all of her other friends, he had no trouble drawing distinctions between _every_ horrible thing each of them had done and Klaus. _Mom_. There was no way in _hell_ she could talk to the Sheriff about Klaus. The Sheriff would likely shoot her full of vervain and lock her up in the same room her father had when trying to "fix" her of her vampirism. _Stefan_. Caroline frowned at the name. She couldn't shake the feeling, but there was something going on with him, something more than Elena choosing Damon over him. She had made several attempts to talk to him but he always brushed her off. She made a mental note to try harder with him.

Scrolling back up her list of contacts, her eyes finally landed on his name. _ Klaus_. She had started, and promptly deleted, dozens of texts to him. She had no idea what to say. She wasn't ready for him to be her _anything_, let alone her _last love_.

You're lying to yourself, Caroline. The voice in her head was loud and clear. She _was _ready for him to be _something_ to her, she just didn't know what. Would he even accept something lessthan _everything _from her? Her whole body tingled at the thought. He didn't do anything at half speed. It was all or nothing with him. What if she offered him friendship and he refused her? What if he demanded _more_? Whenever her mind even began to drift towards being physical with him, her face flushed and she immediately forced her mind to shut down. She was certainly no virgin, but her experience paled in comparison to his thousand years of _conquering_.

But her greatest fear was this - would his darkness consume her? He told her that he fancied her light, but how could that withstand his millennia of death, torture and pain? In all of their conversations, never once did he express regret for a single vile act he had done. Did he feel remorse for killing Carol Lockwood, or Jenna? Did he lose a single second of sleep over nearly draining Elena of all her blood or ordering Tyler to bite Caroline?

She knew the answer to her very core. _No_. He didn't feel remorse. And, in the end, how could she even consider giving someone who felt no remorse a chance?

Caroline sighed. Maybe it was time to see a shrink because she was getting nowhere with her repeated thoughts. She sat up abruptly and exclaimed to the empty room, "I need closure. I need to see him again so that I can let go of all of these lingering thoughts."

Acting on pure impulse, and perhaps insanity, Caroline booked a flight on Expedia to New Orleans for that evening.

Staring at the confirmation page, she exclaimed: "I can't believe I just did that!"

"You're doing it again."

Klaus sighed and dropped his head onto his steepled hands that were resting against the balcony railing.

"Doing what, Elijah?"

His older brother, looking dapper in a dark navy suit, stopped beside Klaus and grasped the railing with a single hand before stating: "Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders." Elijah briefly paused before continuing: "Are you thinking about Hayley and the child?"

Head still resting on his hands, Klaus groaned his response: "Unlike you, brother, I do not spend my every waking moment thinking about _that_ girl or my heir. I was simply trying to enjoy the quiet night New Orleans has offered this evening. As always, you've ruined that for me with your talk of the ramifications of my drunken one night stand."

"I apologize. I didn't intend to add to whatever seems to be troubling you."

Klaus lifted his head and looked his brother in the eye for the first time.

"Nothing is troubling me."

Elijah smirked. "We both know that's a lie. There has never been a time in our thousand years that I've known you to not be troubled by _something_, Niklaus."

"Yes, well, not all of us have the luxury of devoting our life to meddling in other peoples' affairs."

"I do not consider my concern for you and Rebekah to be meddling. Frankly, I believe I failed you both as your older brother for so many years by _not_ being more involved in your lives. I will not make that mistake again."

"Elijah, as noble as that sentiment is, I think our dear sister and I are old enough to make our own choices in life, don't you?"

"Not when you're headed into self destruction."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Where is all of this doom and gloom coming from? Have I not stepped up where my child is concerned? Have I not provided Hayley with suitable accommodations?"

"She should be here with us, Niklaus. She is family now."

"_No!_ She is _not_ family. She is but an incubator for my child. Once she gives birth, I have no intention of having her be a part of our lives. No one, not even you, dear brother, will convince me otherwise."

"You are being rash. The child will need its mother."

"Nonsense."

"Oh really? Do you intend on providing for the child's daily needs?"

"He will want for nothing."

"I don't mean material needs, Niklaus. I mean love and affection. Will you be providing that?"

Klaus looked away from his brother and stared into the night. "He will have you and Rebekah for that."

"We don't even know if Rebekah will come here."

"All Rebekah has ever craved was to be human. There is nothing more human than an infant. Once this child is born, she won't be able to stay away."

"Do you not wish to give your child what our parents failed to give us?"

"Enough, Elijah! This child isn't going to change who I am or what I desire."

"And what is it you desire?"

Klaus slowly took in the view offered by New Orleans. "My kingdom."

"And do you intend to stand alone once you have reclaimed what is yours?"

Her face flashed through his mind.

"Perhaps one day I will have a Queen."

Elijah studied his brother's face for a long while.

"And this Queen, is it someone you have already been acquainted with?"

The brief upturn of his mouth would have been missed by anyone but his older brother. Elijah started to say something, but stopped himself. He hadn't seen Klaus look this close to _happy_ since, well, he couldn't even remember. Elijah decided to leave it alone, for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**A/N: I should have mentioned when I began this story that it starts where Season 4 of TVD ended. This story has haunted my mind for several months. It was time to get it out. I am no fan of the Klaus-Hayley baby storyline, but it is part of TBD/The Originals canon and I think even that story can enhance the Klaus and Caroline story.**

**Disclaimer: The characters and quotes from ****_The Vampire Diaries_**** are not my creation and do not belong to me.**

Klaus stood before the stark white canvas with the tip of his paint brush poised ready to come to life, yet he couldn't bring himself to make a line. He dropped his arm back down and sighed. Not again. Every night was the same; he would come down into his studio, set up his paints and … nothing. He had lost all inspiration and hadn't created a single piece of art since arriving back to New Orléans. Truth be told, the last time he was overcome with inspiration was aboard the plane taking him away from Mystic Falls, taking him away from _her_. On a flimsy cocktail napkin, Klaus had drawn Caroline's beautiful face at her happiest moment.

Lifting the glass of Bourbon to his lips, he felt the amber liquid burn like acid down his throat as he bitterly recollected that, while he was present at her happiest moment, it was caused by his declaration that Tyler was free to return to Mystic Falls. Draining the rest of his drink, he set the glass down with a little more force than he had thought. A fissure appeared in the heavy crystal glass. Klaus' piercing blue eyes watched as the fissure expanded and moved slowly until it reached the base of the glass.

Klaus certainly had never expected the blonde baby Vampire. With her light and strength and loyalty, Caroline was a force to be reckoned with even at the ripe old age of one. Like a fissure in glass, she had the ability to show Klaus all of his own weaknesses, the very weaknesses he had fought so hard to bury deep within him until he had forgotten they were there – joy, vulnerability and love. As the Original Hybrid, he demanded unwavering loyalty from those around him, especially his family, and could even admit that he desired their love, but for _him_ to consider loving another was out of the question. _Love_ was a concept no longer familiar to Klaus Mikaelson, not after being killed by his own parents and then hunted for a thousand years by his own father.

What was it that old chap Victor Hugo had said to him: "To love another person is to see the face of God." He certainly didn't believe in a God or any gods, not when the world was scattered with monsters like him, but for the first time since being human, he understood what it meant to be that affected by something, _someone_.

He had long forgotten what it was like to _truly_ have humanity, until he saw it reflected in her eyes. Caroline's humanity emanated from her like a shining light. After being cloaked in his own darkness for centuries, he craved her light. He wanted to consume it. But it wasn't something he could just forcefully take or compel; he wanted Caroline to _choose_ him and to _want _him. And if he had to wait until the end of time for that chance, he would.

Klaus tiredly ran a hand through his unruly blonde curls as he walked out of his studio. He would try again, tomorrow perhaps. He slowly made his way up to his bedroom through the silent manor. Elijah was nowhere to be found, not that he cared. His blasted older brother's attempt to once again convince Klaus that Hayley should be under their roof infuriated him. He had no desire to see that girl parading around his home with her swollen belly. It would suit him just fine to not see her at all except to deliver their child to him on his doorstep once it was born and then leave New Orléans forever. He wondered what Elijah would think about _that_. Contrary to his brother's idea of creating some nuclear family with the werewolf girl, Klaus had every intention of never seeing her again, whether it was because she left town or because she was dead, whichever she preferred.

Klaus frowned deeply as he made his way into his bedroom. The realization was overwhelming: _When the hell did his life become controlled by teenage girls?_ One had stolen his heart before he even realized he still _had _a heart and the other was carrying his child. Kol had to be laughing at him from the other side. A shot of sadness passed through him as he thought about his dead younger brother. Even _that_ he had forgiven, for _her_. Every instinct in Klaus had screamed for him to exact revenge on Elena and Jeremy for killing Kol, but he had not done it, all because the blonde Vampire had asked him to let it go. And he had, like a lovesick fool. He had even shown Tyler mercy by letting him run in the first place and then allowing him to return to her.

But it was the only way Klaus could think of to get Caroline to open her eyes. If Tyler and she had remained star-crossed lovers, torn apart by the big, bad Hybrid, then he would never even have the slightest chance with her. Now, he had to wait and see, and patience was most definitely not a virtue of his. He wanted Caroline, he wanted his City and he wanted Hayley gone.

And since he couldn't get rid of Hayley, yet, and had to let Caroline make her way to him, the one thing he could control right now was taking back his City from his protégé. Ah, Marcel. While he was a good student under Klaus' tutelage, Klaus could see that the power lust had become too much. Marcel _actually_ believed that he was more powerful than Klaus, that he could remain in control of the City now that Klaus was back. Klaus would have to teach him a lesson.

Klaus removed his grey Henley as he walked across his room towards the closet. The moonlight filtering through the French doors cast shadows across his smooth, pale chest showing off the contrasting dark rope necklaces hanging from his neck. Klaus briefly fingered the wooden cross on one of the ropes. It was highly ironic, a Vampire wearing a cross. Call it sentiment. The monk who gave it to him had almost been a friend, that is, until Klaus had to kill him.

He removed a fresh Henley from his closet and grabbed his well-worn leather jacket from the chaise before heading out of the manor. He strode through the streets with purpose. He was a man on a mission.

xxx

_You are not going to hyperventilate. You are not going to hyperve - wait a minute, can Vampires even hyperventilate? Oh, who cares! You are going to stay on this plane, Caroline and you're going to face Klaus and demand closure!_

Caroline's eyes went wide as she watched the airline attendant close and lock the cabin door. She bit her lip to keep from screaming at the flight attendant to let her off. Instead, she dug her fingers into the arm rests and stared straight ahead.

She was _actually_ doing this; she was heading to New Orléans to see Klaus, completely unannounced and totally unexpected. She was going to surprise the Original Hybrid.

_Oh God! This is crazy. You are crazy, Caroline. I need a drink._

Caroline shook herself free from her overwhelming, spastic thoughts. She was going to be an adult about this. They could be civilized to each other. They had even become somewhat of friends before he left. And, he _did_ save her life, again, by beheading that witch she had killed _and_ saved Damon from yet another wolf bite, much to Klaus' chagrin she supposed.

To distract herself from her thoughts, Caroline grabbed the latest edition of _Vogue_ and put her ear buds into her ears. She pressed play on her iPod. It was mid-song:

_Give a little time to me or burn this out, _

_We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,_

_I want is the taste that your lips allow,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, give me love … _

Caroline gulped. She still remembered how his hand felt pressed against her low back and how he gazed adoringly into her eyes as they danced the Waltz in his home. It was hard to believe that had only been the second time they had actually spoken to each other. She felt like knew her; her every thought and desire and fear.

She also knew that she had struck a chord with him. Caroline chuckled at her own audacity as she gave him advice about his father, had called him out about trying to buy people and had ended the evening by throwing the gorgeous bracelet he had given her on the ground. Caroline knew that had it been anyone else, Klaus would have ripped their head off.

She pressed the forward button on her iPod. As she waited for the next song to begin, she briefly wondered where that bracelet was.

_Blue jeans, white shirt_

_Walked into the room you know you made my eyes burn_

_It was like, James Dean, for sure_

_You're so fresh to death and sick as ca-cancer_

_You were sorta punk rock, I grew up on hip hop_

_But you fit me better than my favorite sweater, and I know_

_That love is mean, and love hurts_

_But I still remember that day we met in December, oh baby!_

_I will love you 'til the end of time_

_I would wait a million years …_

Caroline snuggled into her seat and smiled, that's more like it. Nothing like a little Lana Del Rey.

As she listened to the sultry voice of the singer, Caroline couldn't help but think about who _she _would love until the end of time. Did that kind of love even exist? For a fleeting moment, she had thought she had that with Tyler. Clearly that wasn't the case. With a mixture of shame and pride, she realized that she barely thought about Tyler anymore, except to wonder how he was doing in Tennessee with his new werewolf pack. Whatever he was doing, she hoped that he was happy. Maybe he had even hooked up with that wereslut Hayley. She couldn't stand that girl, trying to minimize Caroline's life as _high school drama_ and then lying and using everyone. She was glad she wouldn't have to ever see that girl again.

Pushing all thoughts of Hayley out of her mind, Caroline refocused on this _love until the end of time_ thing. Was that even possible with humans … erm, creatures that were going to live until the end of time? It was a romantic concept, for those who only lived a few decades, a single century if they were lucky. What about those who had to live several millennia? Caroline wasn't sure. She'd have to ask someone older, a _lot_ older than her.

Perhaps she'd ask the one Original she didn't really know yet, Elijah. He seemed to be the least _damaged_ by their long existence. She certainly wasn't going to ask Rebekah. That was another name she would rather forget. Caroline still couldn't believe that Matt was with Rebekah. She was horrible. She was petty and mean and had tried to take everything from Caroline. Okay, so Matt wasn't _hers_ anymore and hadn't been for a long time, but that still didn't change the fact that Rebekah had wanted to take Caroline's place at every event and activity at school. But, she supposed she could let that go if Matt was actually _happy _with her.

Caroline had no idea what Klaus' opinion would be on the subject. She felt her cheeks flush slightly when she thought back to lying on the couch and telling Klaus she knew that he was in love with her. She pressed her cheek against the cold airplane window and closed her eyes. When she had said it, she was dying; she didn't have anything to lose and had hoped that by confronting him with his own feelings, it would somehow help him see that he wasn't completely lost, that he _was _capable of being saved.

_Why did you care that he knew that?_

Caroline slowly opened her eyes as the realization hit her.

_Because you care ... about him._

"No-no, oh God, no," Caroline said to herself loudly and forcefully.

"Excuse me; miss, are you alright?"

Caroline turned to the concerned flight attendant: "I'm going to need to get off this plane."

"That's just not possible, miss. Well, unless you're having a heart attack."

"No, nothing like that. Well, then I'm going to need _every_ mini-bottle of Vodka you have on this plane." Remembering her manners, she smiled sweetly at the flight attendant: "Please."

The flight attendant quickly returned with three mini-bottles. Caroline snatched the first one and quickly downed the entire contents. She coughed as the proof hit her. Caroline grabbed the second bottle, but instead of drinking it, she rolled it between her palms. If she was going to see Klaus in a few hours, there was no way she was going to do it drunk. Who knows what she would say with her already questionable filter impaired by Vodka. She needed to face him sober and alert and looking amazing.

_Oh God! Did I just think that?_

Maybe she didn't have to see Klaus. She really could just book a return flight home and stay at the airport.

But that's not what she wanted.

She wanted to see him. The only question was, did she want to see him for the closure she thought she was coming for or … to give him a chance?

Songs Referenced

"Give Me Love" – Ed Sheeran

"Blue Jeans" – Lana Del Rey


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: The characters from ****_The Vampire Diaries _****are not my creation and do not belong to me.**

**CHAPTER THREE**

"Rebekah, I implore you; please reconsider coming to New Orleans. This is a real opportunity for our family to get things right."

Staring at her blood red nails, Rebekah scoffed: "That is, until,Nik decides that he's angry enough at you or me, or both, and daggers us again."

"He has given me the daggers, sister. There will be no more daggering."

That peaked Rebekah's interest … a little. But, the next thing Elijah said almost knocked her on her ass: "He has also had the coffins burned."

"Well, well, well. It appears that Nik may _finally _be growing up. Tell me, Elijah, how is Nik taking impending fatherhood?"

"I believe the popular saying 'out of sight, out of mind' most aptly describes our brother's mental state when it comes to his child."

She smirked: "Perhaps our _dear_ brother should have thought of the consequences of his actions **_before_** he put little Klaus in the werewolf girl**."**

"Don't be vulgar, sister! The girl is set to give birth in four months. Niklaus needs to do something other than ignore this situation. I have tried to reason with him, but he refuses to listen. I confess that my hope is you will be able to get through to him. After all, you and Niklaus were always the closest among our siblings."

"Well, it helps that I didn't bed the only woman he's ever loved, Elijah."

Elijah's cleared his throat in annoyance: "That was over a thousand years ago, Rebekah."

"Which means, for Nik, it was as if it happened yesterday."

"How can I acquit myself with him over that?"

Rebekah browsed through belts as she nonchalantly stated: "Here's a helpful hint, dear brother, _don't_ sleep with Caroline Forbes."

Elijah squinted his eyes as he struggled to place a face to the vaguely familiar name: "Do you mean that infant Vampire Niklaus danced with at Esther's ball?"

"For some inexplicable reason, Nik is quite taken with her." Rebekah lifted a dress from a rack and handed it to the sales lady as she continued: "In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe he's in love with her."

Elijah absorbed this revelation in absolute silence. _Niklaus, in love? After all of these centuries?_

"And you never thought to share this information with me?"

"It's not my job to keep you posted about our brother's love life." She held up a yellow blouse to her chest and wrinkled her nose in distaste: "Then again, if either you or I had been paying closer attention, perhaps Nik never would have demeaned himself by taking that werewolf girl to bed. As _terrible_ as Caroline Forbes is, at least she is one of us and not a mangy beast."

"Do you forget that our brother is also part wolf?"

Rebekah sighed: "I've learned to overlook that specific flaw of his."

"And what of the child? Will you acknowledge it as your flesh and blood?"

"Have _you_ thought about that, Elijah? I mean, _really_ thought about it? Nik's child will be _pure_ wolf. Did you forget what its ancestors did to Henrik?"

Rebekah's throat constricted as she thought of her little brother.

Eljiah's face darkened at her accusation.

"I will never forget."

Neither said a word. Instead, though they were an ocean apart, the siblings mourned their little brother in their shared silence over the phone.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rebekah sighed: "I will try not to hold Nik's child responsible for the evils of its kind, but I cannot promise anything. To this day, Elijah, we have never sought retribution for what they did."

"You need not tell me things I already know, sister. I am simply trying to do what is best for _our_ family as it presently exists."

"And what is the best for our family, Elijah? Are we to welcome Hayley into our family as well as the wolf cub?"

"That is something I would like Niklaus to consider."

"Have you gone stark raving mad? Do you not remember that _she_ betrayed Tyler who is of her own kind? What makes you think she won't betray us?"

"She has every reason not to."

"What, because of the _baby_? Of what I know of Hayley, I would bet my last dollar that she doesn't have a single motherly bone in that thin body." Rebekah handed her credit card to the sales lady, looking annoyed: "You know, if you have been pestering Nik about this as much as you have been pestering me, I don't blame him if he has chosen denial as a way to cope. It's one thing to try to accept Nik's child, Elijah, but it is an entirely different thing asking us to welcome an untrustworthy werewolf into it."

Elijah tiredly rubbed his forehead as his sister continued to prattle on. He was beginning to see that getting Rebekah to come around was going to be almost as difficult as Niklaus. But he wasn't about to give up.

xxxx

Not for the first time since his return to New Orleans, Klaus couldn't help but think how much Caroline would enjoy seeing the City. It's exuberance. It's history. It had a pulse of its own. But, as quickly as the thought of her slipped into his mind, he forced it out. He had other important matters that needed his attention, the one at the forefront being gaining control of his City once again.

Klaus arrived at his destination. He pulled open the heavy doors of the bar, immediately spotting the familiar blonde bartender chatting with a patron as she mixed a drink. He stepped further into the bar and casually scanned the remainder of the room. He quickly identified the supernatural presence in the room – three vampires. Without making eye contact with them, Klaus made his way to the bar and took a seat away from the other patrons.

Camille spotted him and smiled: "Well, if it isn't the hundred dollar bill man who mysteriously disappears in the middle of conversations. You do realize you made me look like a complete idiot talking to myself on the street, right?"

A corner of his mouth lifted but an inch: "Camille."

"Nuh uh," she wagged a finger at him, "It's Cami, remember?"

"Right. And how are you this evening, _Cami_?"

"Oh, just peachy! Let's see, I've only been hit on by three half-drunks _and_ I get to go home in an hour and start studying for a mid-term that I have to take tomorrow morning."

"My sympathies."

Cami shrugged, "I can't complain that much; the half-drunks left me _great_ tips and once this term is over, I'll only have one more left. Now, enough about me, what can I get you?"

"Scotch, neat."

"Coming right up." Cami turned her back to retrieve the best Scotch in the house. Klaus took the opportunity to scan Cami's belonging tucked neatly behind the bar. She had two psychology books, a well worn leather jacket and a purse. The purse was half open but he didn't see anything of interest. As she turned back to him, Klaus wondered if Cami knew of Marcel's interest in her. He wondered whether Marcel had Cami watched.

He was about to find out.

When Cami turned back with his drink, Klaus leaned slightly over the bar and gently grasped her wrist: "That is a lovely bracelet."

If Cami was put off by the physical contact, she didn't show it. Instead, she gently smiled: "It was my grandmother's, the one I'm named after. It was the first thing my grandfather ever bought her. She never took it off. I remember staring at it all the time when I was a little girl."

As Cami got lost in her memories, Klaus released her wrist and sat back in his stool. He felt his presence directly behind him.

"Ah, Marcel; come to have a little drink with me?"

Marcel's presence brought Cami out of her thoughts. Instantly, she frowned. This, however, did not deter Marcel. He gave Cami a brilliant smile, displaying his perfect set of white teeth before taking the empty seat next to Klaus.

"I am a lucky guy, running into my old friend and the most beautiful bartender in the City in one place."

Cami rolled her eyes, instantly reminding Klaus of Caroline: "What do you want, Marcel?"

"That question can be answered in so many ways, Cami. I want what everybody wants; power, loyalty, _love_. Anything on that list you'd like to help me with?"

"I _meant_; what do you want to drink?"

"I'll have what my friend here is having."

"Coming right up. Oh, and, as for your list, not _everybody_ wants power. Some of us just want to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and _like_ what's reflected back. Something tells me you wouldn't know anything about that."

Anger swept into Marcel's eyes as he watched her walk away from them. Had Klaus had less self-restraint, the surprise in how Marcel allowed Cami to speak with him would have shown on his face. Perhaps he and Marcel weren't so different after all, not when it came to affairs of the heart. Caroline Forbes was the _only _person on Earth whose heart remained in her chest after many of the things she dared say to Klaus' face.

"I haven't seen you in here before. What brings you by?"

Klaus calmly sipped his drink before answering: "I'm merely enjoying what this City has to offer." He purposefully allowed his gaze to fall on Cami. He felt Marcel tense immediately.

"I confess, that surprises me."

Klaus quirked his eyebrow at Marcel in response.

Marcel grinned back: "Rumor has it that you've got some tasty little she wolf hidden away somewhere in the City."

He didn't like that Marcel knew about Hayley. It would only be a matter of time before he learned of the child. Instead of reacting, Klaus finished his drink and replied: "I must be losing my reputation if the rumor is that I only have _one_ woman at my beck and call."

Marcel laughed out loud and placed his hand on Klaus' shoulder: "Ain't that the truth! The parties you and I had in this town are _still _talked about in some parts. There was a time when there weren't any pretty girls left walking these streets; we drained them all."

"Now, now; gentlemen shouldn't kiss, kill and tell, Marcel."

"I'm not one to beat around the bush with you, old friend; I've had my eye on Cami for a while now and would hate to battle you for her affections." While Marcel continued to smile at Klaus, there was nothing friendly about the look in his eyes: "After all, we _both_ know who the real lady's man is here."

Klaus chuckled.

"Think whatever you want, mate. I do recall things a bit differently. What was that ginger's name again, the one you fell head over heels for? Marguerite, was it? Ah yes, as I recall Marguerite spent an eventful evening in my bed and not yours. Her blood tasted _magnificent._"

"Cami is off limits, Klaus."

Klaus smiled: "Whatever happened to, what's mine is yours? Isn't that how you _welcomed _me back to _my _City?"

Marcel leaned close to Klaus: "Don't push me because I will push back."

"I welcome you to try. Haven't I already demonstrated to you that I am immortal? You cannot destroy me, _friend_. But I can take _anything_ I want from you, that is, unless you are willing to negotiate."

Marcel leaned back in his seat: "I don't have to negotiate. If you touch what is mine I'll simply find something that you care about … and destroy it."

Klaus twirled the empty tumbler in between his hands and chuckled: "If you were talking to anyone but me, I'd say that was a direct threat, but considering that you and I are _friends_, and _I made you_, I'll chalk it up to my bad hearing."

Klaus deposited cash on the bar. "Please tell Cami that I'm sorry I wasn't able to stay long enough to wish her well on her exam tomorrow morning."

When Klaus slipped through the front door, Marcel crushed the glass between his hands. He was going to have to find Klaus' weakness, starting with this she wolf.

Once outside, Klaus smiled. He had found Marcel's weakness. Not only was Marcel interested in Cami, the poor bloke was bloody in love with her. And Klaus was going to find a way to use that to his advantage. It was a pity that the pretty little blonde bartender might become a casualty in this war. Even though he wasn't cold, Klaus zipped up his leather jacket before taking off in the opposite direction from his manor. He wasn't ready to hear more of Elijah's pleas about having one big happy family under the same roof.

xxxx

It didn't take long for Caroline to track down someone who knew where Klaus Mikaelson lived. The first supernatural she came across turned white in front of her eyes when the name left her lips, but frantically wrote down the address before speeding away from her. Caroline shook her head slightly and smirked. Not even six months here and already Klaus had apparently reestablished his badass reputation in town.

Caroline slung the strap of her bag on her shoulder as she walked out of the airport and hailed a cab. She took a seat in the cab and took a deep breath. This was it, there was no going back.

Before she even had time to process what she was about to do, Caroline found herself on the doorstep of Klaus' home. She hesitantly reached up and rang the doorbell. A Mikaelson opened the door. It just wasn't the Mikaelson she was expecting.

"Ms. Forbes?"

Caroline chewed her bottom lip: "Yeah, you're Elijah, right?"

"Yes, I am."

They stared at each other in awkwardness for a few moments before Elijah found his manners. He stepped sideways and waved his hand inward.

"Please, do come in."

Caroline took a few tentative steps inside and immediately began scoping the place out. Elijah's eyes followed her like a hawk. _This was going to complicate everything, as if things weren't complicated enough_.

"You have a beautiful home."

"Technically, it's Niklaus', but, thank you all the same."

Caroline could swear goose bumps broke out across her skin at the mention of his name. _Can vampires even get goose bumps?_

Elijah steered Caroline into an immaculately decorated formal sitting room.

"May I take your bag?"

"Oh," Caroline clutched her bag tightly in front of her chest, "I'm okay."

"Something to drink then?"

Caroline shook her head: "No, but thank you."

The girl was clearly nervous and still hadn't disclosed why she was here, but Elijah had a pretty good idea about that.

"Is Klaus around?" _And there it was. _

Elijah sat down in an oversized chair and gestured for Caroline to take a seat opposite him on the sofa. She hesitantly sat down.

"Ms. Forbes, am I making you nervous?"

"No! Yes! Kind of. Your entire family makes me nervous."

Elijah raised his eyebrow slightly; "Including my brother?"

"_Especially_ your brother," she blurted out and then blushed immediately after.

He couldn't stop the small amused smile from forming on his lips.

"I assure you, no harm will come to you in this house."

"It's not my physical well being I'm worried about," she mumbled softly but then realized he had heard her. _Of course he heard you, Caroline! He's a freakin' Original Vampire._

She sighed loudly: "I'm sorry. I'm being a little nuts. I just hadn't planned this out very well and seeing you caught me off guard."

"I understand. If there is anything I can do to make you more comfortable, please let me know."

Caroline nodded and then looked around the room, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Have you been in New Orleans with Klaus this whole time?"

"I have."

"Seeing as he hasn't staked you yet, I take it things are going well?"

Elijah chuckled. Ms. Forbes certainly spoke her mind, sometimes, he gathered, without thinking first.

"My brother and I have a complex relationship."

"Who _doesn't_ have a complex relationship with him?"

Elijah smiled again, but didn't respond. And, the one thing Caroline hated more than anything was awkward silences.

"I hear that Matt and your sister are having a great time in Europe."

"Yes, I have heard that as well."

"Is Rebekah going to join you and Klaus here when the trip is over?"

"I would like that very much, yes, but the decision is entirely Rebekah's. I don't know if she has made up her mind."

"That's understandable. She probably has the _most_ complex relationship with Klaus. He's daggered her like five hundred times."

"Neither of my siblings are the easiest people to get along with, but they are family. Nothing is more important than family to me, Ms. Forbes."

"It's Caroline. And, I wasn't meaning to imply anything about them. Sure, my relationships with them haven't been the smoothest, but I'm not here to start a fight or anything."

He knew it was rude to come right out and ask, but Elijah couldn't contain himself anymore: "May I inquire as to why you _are _here?" Klaus had not mentioned Caroline since returning from Mystic Falls after attending her graduation. He certainly hadn't been in a foul mood but it was not lost upon Elijah that his younger brother was no longer painting or drawing. He guessed it had something to do with however Klaus had left things with Caroline.

"I came to see your brother."

"Is there trouble in Mystic Falls? Is Elena alright?"

"Oh, there's nothing supernatural going on in Mystic Falls, at least, that's what my mom reports. And Elena is fine. She's enjoying college."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"I'm not here to ask Klaus for help."

Elijah nodded, hoping to encourage her to continue talking. Caroline twisted her hands in her lap as she contemplated how she wanted to explain this to Elijah.

"Klaus said something to me at graduation and it's been haunting me ever since. And, I guess I'm here to see if there's anything to it."

Elijah couldn't fathom what Niklaus possibly had said to this young woman to torment her for this long but his interest was piqued. He surmised that Niklaus didn't share his impending fatherhood with her and knew better than to reveal that piece of information.

"I won't pry. I can see that whatever Niklaus has said to you is important and personal, otherwise you wouldn't have bothered to come all the way out here, leaving college, I presume."

"Yeah."

"I know that we don't know each other at all, but I'd like to assist you in any way I can."

"Elena trusts you, and that means a lot in my book, so I feel like I kind of do know you. But, in all honesty, there's nothing you can do for me. I hardly know what I'm doing myself. This, coming here and seeing him, just felt right. Beyond that, I don't know."

And then, Elijah saw it in her eyes; she was here to give Niklaus a chance, a chance at happiness and, dare he think it, love. His own dead heart soared for his brother. He wanted to impart encouraging words to her, but found himself cautioning her instead.

"I have no doubt that your presence will make my brother very happy; however, I do feel the need to … advise you that things in New Orleans are _different_ from Mystic Falls, more … complicated."

"Wow," Caroline snorted. "I didn't think things could be more complicated than Mystic Falls, what, with sacrifices to break thousand year old curses, expression triangles, the vampire cure, doppelgangers and ghosts!"

Out of curiosity, did anyone end up taking the cure?"

Caroline shared a long look with Elijah. She remembered Elena telling her she thought Elijah was in love with Katherine. How would he react? How would _Klaus_ react? Would he immediately return to Mystic Falls and start using Katherine's blood to make more hybrids?

"I'd rather not lie to you, Elijah, so, instead, I'm just not going to tell you. It's none of my business and I'd like to try to leave what happened in Mystic Falls back in Mystic Falls."

"I appreciate your position."

A beep resounded through the room. Elijah peered down at his iPhone. "That is Niklaus. He is returning home." He stood and adjusted his tie: "You would do our family an honor if you stayed as our guest here."

"Oh, no, I couldn't."

"I insist." He lifted her bag from the floor and made his way to the door. "Your room is the third on the left."

"Thank you."

xxxx

Klaus walked through the front door and immediately picked up on it. It was her scent. But, that was impossible. He didn't expect to see or hear from Caroline for years, if not centuries. His pride, and heart, wouldn't allow him to believe that she would never come around to the possibility of him being more than her friends' target but he knew he was in for a long wait. Klaus removed his leather jacket and tossed it on the back of a chair. He pushed up the long sleeves of his black Henley and poured himself a glass of Bourbon.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, briefly contemplating whether he should attempt to paint something tonight or not bother. Changing his mind, he walked down the hallway towards his art studio. The scent grew stronger. Klaus shook his head in annoyance. In over a thousand years, never once did he consider the need to see a shrink. He hoped he didn't have to start now.

He opened the door to his studio and nearly dropped his glass. He was either hallucinating both her scent and now her physical form, or Caroline Forbes was actually here in New Orleans, in his home.

She turned at the sound of the door opening. They briefly made eye contact before she looked back at the blank canvas and scoffed: "I'm no expert, but isn't this a little _too _abstract, even for you?" Caroline look back over at him: "Not my favorite."

Klaus' lips lifted into a smile, revealing the dimples that had lain dormant for months.

"Caroline."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of ****_The Vampire Diaries_**

**Chapter Four **

Klaus continued to watch Caroline in silence as she gazed at the canvas. He finally broke the quiet when he was sure she wasn't going to disappear in front of his eyes.

"I actually haven't started anything with it yet. I'm still … contemplating."

Caroline turned back to him and smiled: "Yeah, I kinda figured that." She slowly made her way around the studio, absentmindedly touching things. Klaus could tell that she was nervous, but he wasn't sure about what.

Since it was obvious she wasn't going to say anything, Klaus made the effort.

"Unless they've changed the scholastic year since the last time I checked, aren't you supposed to be in the middle of your semester?" He stood next to her and quirked an eyebrow at her.

Caroline shrugged her shoulders: "Yeah, well, someone once told me that 'small town life won't be enough.'"

She felt his hand on her forearm as he slowly turned her towards him. His warm blue eyes pierced her own: "I believe, what I said was 'small town _boy_, small town _life_ won't be enough _for_ _you_.'"

They stared at each other in silence before Caroline rolled her eyes and scoffed: "God, I _hate it _when you're right."

Klaus couldn't keep the grin from his face: "Does that mean the young Brutus is no longer in the picture?"

"Please don't gloat, okay? It really had _nothing _to do with you."

Klaus didn't say anything, even though he wanted to point out that she was protesting a little too much. Instead, he continued to gaze at her in silence, waiting for Caroline to elaborate.

"He came back a few days after graduation. We were both happy," she looked directly at him, "but, we weren't _happy_. Does that make sense?"

"I may be the last person you should ask about happiness, love. I confess, it's been awhile for me."

"Well, the last time Tyler and I were apart for so long was when I thought he had died. When I saw him again, my heart was so full of joy it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest! I didn't want anything else in the world but to see him, touch him, hold him."

He tilted his head towards her: "I remember that well as I was the accidental recipient of your joy."

Caroline scrunched her nose: "I was kinda hoping you would have forgotten about that by now."

Klaus smiled: "It's not often you're offered hot hybrid vampire sex by the beautiful woman you fancy."

Caroline turned away from him but he caught a hint of a blush spreading across her cheeks.

He locked his hands behind his back and rocked forward on his toes: "As much as I enjoy reminiscing with you, sweetheart, I confess that my curiosity has gotten the better of me." His voice was but a whisper as he asked: "Why are you here, Caroline?"

She began walking around the studio again, admiring his work. It never ceased to amaze Caroline how someone capable of so much pain and destruction could create such beauty in paint and charcoal and pencil. She wondered if Klaus realized how telling his art was about him. She could see his loneliness, his pain and his overwhelming desire to be loved.

Caroline glanced over her shoulder back at him and smiled: "I'm not here as the blonde distraction … for once."

"While I enjoyed those distractions very much, they always left a sour taste in my mouth."

She nodded, "Mine too. Believe it or not, I didn't like manipulating you, _even_ when you deserved it."

Klaus laughed. "I suppose there's some truth to that."

Caroline raised an eyebrow at him: "You _suppose_? Neither of us needs to rehash every horrible thing you've done to the people I love."

She quickly held up her hand as she saw Klaus open his mouth to defend himself: "And before you start listing off everything my friends and I have done, I'm not going to deny it. I didn't come here to talk about the past."

Caroline crossed the room to stand in front of Klaus.

"Would you believe me if I told you I'm not exactly sure why I'm here."

"I'd say that I'm not entirely surprised by that answer."

"Why not?"

"Because, sweetheart, you've always been pulled in all sorts of directions due to your desire to please those around you." Klaus shook his finger: "I would be willing to wager that from the moment you stepped into my house you've asked yourself at least once what the lovely Elena would say to you being here, and let's not forget your witchy friend Bonnie. I don't think there's a person on the planet who hates me more than her."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that. I think Katherine might be at the top of that list, followed closely by Tyler."

"And we're back to square one … _Tyler_. However, since you _are_ here standing in my home without my influence and clearly you're not here due to some emergency as you would have told me by now, I can't help but conclude that you've finally moved past thinking that people who do terrible things aren't _just _terrible people. Or, am I wrong?"

Caroline was shocked to discover that this was what she had missed most about Klaus, his ability to perceive the truth even when the other person hadn't quite gotten there yet themselves. Of course, it had been a shock in the first place to realize that she had missed him at all.

She conceded, "You're not wrong."

Caroline looked down at her hands. Klaus adored that about her. Whenever she got nervous, Caroline's ability to make eye contact dwindled and her beautiful blue eyes would dart frantically to and fro, trying desperately to find something, anything to look at except into the other person's eyes.

But, he wasn't going to let her get away with it, not this time. Klaus slid a finger under her chin and tilted her head until she was looking at him again.

"Why are you here?"

"I thought I was here to get closure. I … I've found myself _thinking_ about you, and wondering what you're doing. And, do you know how infuriating it has been? I'd be sitting in the middle of my Art Renaissance class and, suddenly, _poof_, there you were in my mind. And, your radio silence hasn't exactly helped. It would've been nice if you had sent a text or two, here and there, or how about a phone call?"

As Caroline ranted nervously, Klaus stood in stunned silence. _She missed him_. _Caroline had missed him_.

"And, then I'd start remembering things you said to me, and suddenly, I realized, you _knew _me even before I think I knew all of myself. Like, how could you possibly know that I wanted _more _than Mystic Falls? How did you know that I'm someone who learns by experience instead of being talked at in a lecture hall? So, when I figured all this out, _of course_ I had to come here and confront you. I had to confront you so that I could put all of this behind me and figure out what I really want in life, where I belong."

He cautiously asked: "But you're _not _here for closure?"

Caroline shook her head.

"I think I'm here to find out what _this_," gesturing between the two of them, "is."

Klaus let out a shaky breath. Only she could say something more shocking to him than finding out that he was going to be a father at more than a thousand years old.

"And, how do you propose we find out?"

Caroline rolled her eyes: "Duh! We spend time together."

Klaus smiled: "That can be arranged."

Caroline let out her own breath, one she didn't realize she had been holding. From his point of view, she had waltzed into his life without a moment's notice asking him to essentially _hang out _with her to see if there _might _be something between them more than his one-sided fancy. She had no idea what was going on in his life. And, if Caroline was honest with herself, a small part of her was terrified that he had moved on, had realized that his promise to be her last love had been nothing more than a fleeting romantic declaration.

After all, _he_ was the Original Hybrid, and _she _was _just_ Vampire Barbie.

Klaus took a step towards her. He wanted to reach out and take her hand, or grasp a soft tendril of her flaxen hair between his fingers. But he restrained himself. Klaus knew that Caroline was scared, scared of the realizations she had and the admissions she made. He wanted to reassure her. He wanted to tell her that he would never do anything to hurt her, but he knew he couldn't make that kind of promise. Klaus knew himself too well. He was always going to have a quick temper. He was always going to lash out when threatened or hurt. He was always going to resort to lying when telling the truth could cost him what he wanted more than anything in his immortal existence.

As he stood transfixed by Caroline's presence, Klaus decided right then that he couldn't divulge the existence of the child to her, not yet. Confessing the existence of the child would require him to also divulge his indiscretion with Hayley, which Klaus knew she wouldn't understand.

They were the same, he and Caroline. They both craved to be loved, craved to be accepted, craved to be _everything_ to someone else. And, right now, in this moment, and in all of their previous moments, Klaus knew that Caroline felt that with him. She knew without a doubt that _she_ was everything to him. He couldn't take that away from her.

"So, what do we do now?"

Her voice broke him from his thoughts.

Klaus smiled: "I'm guessing hot hybrid vampire sex is out of the question?"

Caroline playfully smacked his chest.

He grinned: "Can't blame a guy for trying, can you?"

She laughed: "I think this is the first time you've ever cracked a joke. I like it."

"There are many sides of me you haven't seen yet, Caroline."

"I don't doubt that."

The look shared began innocently enough, but it quickly became heated before either of them had time to stop it. Klaus knew she wasn't ready for anything physical, so he broke their eye contact and cleared his throat.

"What arrangements have you made during your stay in New Orleans?"

"Ah, I see you haven't spoken with your brother yet. He kind of insisted that I stay here. Is that going to be weird for you?"

"Not in the slightest. And for you?

"I'm fine with it, as long as you _promise_ (pointed a finger at him) not to come into my room in the middle of the night and watch me sleep or something creepy like that."

Klaus laughed out loud: "I wouldn't dream of it. I won't dare step foot into your room, unless, of course, I'm invited first."

Caroline grinned: "Have you always made this many blatant sexual innuendos or have you just gotten cockier now that I've told you that you _might_ have a teeny, tiny chance with me?"

He flashed a dimpled smile: "As I said, sweetheart, there are many sides of me I haven't shown you yet."

She joked: "Should I run the other way?"

Klaus' answer came out more serious than he intended: "Please don't! Haven't you been doing that long enough?"

She smiled. "I suppose that's true." Caroline saw the slight sadness in his eyes. _How had she not seen his vulnerability before? _ "I promise; I won't run, not unless you give me reason to."

"I won't."

They stood in silence for a while.

"I … I better call it a night. It's been a long day."

"Of course. Has Elijah shown you to your room?"

"No, but he told me where it was. I think I can find it on my own."

"Well, goodnight then."

"Goodnight, Klaus."

He watched her walk towards the door. "Tomorrow morning then?"

Caroline looked over her shoulder and nodded: "Tomorrow morning."

Klaus never looked forward to another day more.


End file.
